Published 12:02 am, Thursday, June 16, 2011

In 30 years together, the remaining members of 10,000 Maniacs have seen fame from all angles.

After the band formed in 1981, they played small clubs in their hometown of Jamestown, Chautauqua County, and in Albany.

After their second major-label album, "In My Tribe," they found themselves on shows like "Saturday Night Live" and playing large venues around the world with guests like REM's Michael Stipe hanging out backstage.

When singer Natalie Merchant left the band in 1993, the group stayed together, recruiting Mary Ramsey to sing. One major label album and top 40 hit followed, a cover of Roxy Music's "More Than This," but then the band's fortunes declined.

In 2000, lead guitarist Rob Buck died of liver failure, and the band stopped for a few years.

Now 10,000 Maniacs are together again -- and coming to Albany for a free Alive at Five concert at 5 p.m. today at Albany's Corning Preserve.

"We never quit," said keyboardist Dennis Drew, but the band is no longer traveling as it did 20 years ago. It plays a couple dozen concerts a year.

"We all have other jobs," Drew said. "It's not something we can afford to do 200 days a year. We all have families."

Gustafson has fond memories of playing in Albany. Charlene Shortsleeve and her club 288 Lark offered the band an early venue.

"We could play, and they always invited us back," he said. "They fed us and took care of us when 50 people showed up. We've always had a really fun time in Albany, so we're excited to go back."

The band's first performance was on Labor Day 1981, making this its 30th anniversary year.

"That's why we want to get out and celebrate," Drew said.

The band has been playing festivals and clubs that cater to adults.

"It's really been perfect for us, and we sound great," Drew said.

The band's break with Merchant was perhaps the politest in rock music history. There were no battles over continued use of the name or public fault-finding. They still cooperate on issues that arise over rights, Drew said.

"We're adults. We've been adults a long time," the keyboardist said. "I save my trash-talking for the basketball court."

Ramsey both opened for the band and performed with it before becoming its lead singer.

During Merchant's tenure, she played violin and viola on the "Our Time in Eden" album and played those instruments and did backup vocals for the "MTV Unplugged" appearance that led to an album. Ramsey also was in a band called John & Mary with original Maniac John Lombardo that opened for 10,000 Maniacs. After Merchant left, Lombardo rejoined for a while and brought Ramsey with him.

At this point, Ramsey has spent as much time behind the microphone as Merchant did, but it's still hard to escape the former singer's shadow. It was Merchant who sang on hits like "Like the Weather," "These Are Days" and "What's the Matter Here?"

But Ramsey's one hit did gain shelf life -- and led to several concert offers -- for the band in Brazil.

Their version of "More Than This" became a soap opera couple's theme song, playing every time they were on-screen. "We got some trips to Brazil," Drew recalled with a laugh.

Gustafson said the band's success was a result of luck, tenaciousness, "a little bit of talent" and a willingness to sleep on people's floors while building a following. "We were kind of in the right place at the right time with college radio, and MTV started the same year we did," he said.

He looks back at their career, marveling at the places he got to see.

"One of the great benefits of being in a successful band, you get to travel," he said. "You go to Rome, Italy, and you get a personal guide."

The band is recording new music and hopes to release it this summer.

"We have reasonable expectations," Gustafson said. "We know we're not going to get a song on the top 40. We still like each other's company, and we still enjoy playing. We're happy with what we're doing."

He notes his son is now playing bass in a ''screamo'' band.

"It's a nice way to see the world. If it happens to him, I'll be very happy for him," he said, adding with a laugh. "But I'll have to have a long talk with him."